Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Excel (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Excel. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Excel is located in Monroe County.
To see how the shape of Alabama's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Monroe County: Baldwin, Butler, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near Excel. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Excel:
- Monroe County (The home county of Excel)
- The following are listed by their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Ollie
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ollie is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ollie
- Frisco City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Megargel
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Megargel is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Megargel
- Mexia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mexia is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mexia
- Monroeville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Goodway
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Goodway is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodway
- Perdue Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Perdue Hill is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdue Hill
- Peterman
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Peterman is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterman
- Claiborne
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Claiborne is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- Uriah
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Burnt Corn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Burnt Corn is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Corn
- Tunnel Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Tunnel Springs is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnel Springs
- Former name for Tunnel Springs:
- Kempsville
- Baldwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Little River
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Blacksher
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Blacksher is located in Baldwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacksher
- Clarke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Barlow Bend
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Barlow Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow Bend
- Gainestown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Gainestown is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gainestown
- Suggsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Suggsville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suggsville
- Alma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Alma is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Whatley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Whatley is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whatley
- Walker Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Rockville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Rockville is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Nettleboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Nettleboro is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettleboro
- Carlton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Conecuh County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Repton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bermuda
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bermuda is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
- Range
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Range is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Range
- Lenox
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Belleville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Belleville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleville
- Ramah
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ramah is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramah
- Castleberry
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Castleberry is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Sparta ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sparta is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparta
- Sparta has also been known as:
- Old Sparta
- Evergreen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Jay Villa ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Jay Villa is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay Villa
- Nymph
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Nymph is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nymph
- Owassa
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Owassa is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Owassa
- Escambia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Huxford
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Huxford is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huxford
- Hammac
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hammac is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammac
- Brewton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Brewton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Atmore
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Flomaton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Pollard
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Pollard is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pollard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
- Riverview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Riverview is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Asahel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Asahel is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asahel
- Lower Peach Tree
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Peach Tree is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Peach Tree
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Excel, see our County-by-County Page for Excel.
Cemeteries Near Excel ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Excel.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Excel - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Excel covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Excel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- New Home Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Coleman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sampey Community Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Baas Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Daily Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wiggins Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Repton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Repton Methodist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mexia Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (213 more) ...
- McMillan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sowell Old Field Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Morris Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>
While we didn't find Excel in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Excel.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Excel, with the one closest to Excel listed first.
- Repton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Monroeville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bermuda
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bermuda is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bermuda
- Range
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Range is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Range
- Perdue Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Perdue Hill is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perdue Hill
- Axle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Axle is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Axle
- Claiborne
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Claiborne is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
- Belleville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Belleville is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleville
- Burnt Corn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Burnt Corn is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Corn
- Wallace
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wallace is located in Escambia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace
- Finchburg ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Finchburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchburg
- Gosport
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gosport is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gosport
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Barlow Bend
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Barlow Bend is located in Clarke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow Bend
- River Ridge ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- River Ridge is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Ridge
- Castleberry
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Castleberry is located in Conecuh County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castleberry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Excel. See our List of 1890's Communities around Excel.
Newspapers Published in Excel ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Excel.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Excel, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Excel.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Excel:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Monroe County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Baldwin County
- Clarke County
- Conecuh County
- Escambia County
- Wilcox County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
Footnotes ...
| <1> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <2> | The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Excel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Excel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |